BACKGROUND Partnerships are best positioned for success when the readiness of those engaged is assessed and discussed from the outset. Doing so requires an approach to readiness that is responsive to the particular context of the partnership. OBJECTIVES This study contributes to the topic of partnership readiness through a readiness assessment used with rural local public health agencies (LPHAs) to partner with a university research team on implementing a Kindergarten to 12th-grade school-based health intervention called Assess, Identify, Make it happen. METHODS Through case study methodology, we explored the readiness of LPHAs to partner with a university on this initiative as well as the role the readiness assessment played in facilitating this partnership. We conducted semistructured interviews with directors and agency staff in five rural LPHAs before (n = 8) and after (n = 5) they implemented Assess, Identify, Make it happen. We also documented their work with Kindergarten to 12th-grade schools and in partnership with us throughout the initiative. RESULTS The findings of this study are presented in three phases. Phase 1 outlines the results from the initial readiness assessment interviews as aligned with select constructs of readiness. Phase 2 recounts how these constructs materialized through partnership between LPHAs and the university. Phase 3 includes findings from a postintervention interview focused on readiness for partnership. Collectively, these findings portray prospective, operational, and retrospective perspectives on LPHA readiness for partnership. CONCLUSIONS This study contributes to the constructs of readiness for partnership, highlights the distinction between assessing and cultivating readiness, and demonstrates the benefits of a multiphase approach to readiness for partnership.

中文翻译：

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评估农村公共卫生机构促进学校干预的准备情况。

背景 当从一开始就评估和讨论参与人员的准备情况时，合作伙伴关系最有可能取得成功。这样做需要一种能够响应合作伙伴关系特定背景的准备方法。目标 本研究通过与农村地方公共卫生机构 (LPHA) 一起使用的准备情况评估，与大学研究团队合作实施名为“评估、识别、制定”的幼儿园至 12 年级校本健康干预措施，为合作准备主题做出贡献。它发生了。方法 通过案例研究方法，我们探讨了 LPHA 与大学合作开展这一举措的准备情况，以及准备情况评估在促进这种伙伴关系中所发挥的作用。我们在五个农村 LPHA 实施“评估、识别、实现”之前（n = 8）和之后（n = 5）对董事和机构工作人员进行了半结构化访谈。我们还记录了他们与幼儿园到 12 年级学校的合作，以及在整个计划中与我们的合作。结果 本研究的结果分三个阶段呈现。第一阶段概述了初步准备情况评估访谈的结果，与选定的准备情况结构相一致。第二阶段讲述了这些构建如何通过 LPHA 和大学之间的合作得以实现。第三阶段包括干预后访谈​​的结果，重点关注伙伴关系的准备情况。总的来说，这些发现描绘了 LPHA 合作准备情况的前瞻性、运营性和回顾性视角。结论 这项研究有助于构建伙伴关系准备状态，强调了评估和培养准备状态之间的区别，并展示了多阶段方法实现伙伴关系准备状态的好处。